Carrier bags

ABSTRACT

A synthetic thermoplastic carrier bag which consists of a doubled over thermoplastic sheet forming both faces and bottom of the bag. The edges of the sheet are longitudinally welded together to form the bag container, and there exists a reinforced upper portion around the open periphery of the bag, which portion is at least two layers thick. The leading edges of the upper peripheral portion is formed by a doubled over layer of material, and a grip aperture is formed in each face.

United States Patent Inventors Michael Lehmaeher Unterdorl Str.; Hans Lehmachier, Beckergasae, both of Mondorf U Troisdorf. Germany Appl. No. 882,392 Filed Dec. 3, 1969 Division of Ser. No. 739559, June 24, I968. Patented Aug. 3, 1971 Priority July 1, 1967.1!!! 28, 1967 Germany L 56 890 and L 57 096 CARRIER BAGS 11 Claims, 27 Drawing Figs.

U.S. 229/54, 229/55 Int. 365d [50] Field of Search 229/54, 63, 55

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,132,742 5/1964 Shapiro et al 229/54 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,470,957 1/1967 France 229/54 Primary Examiner-David M. Bockenek Attorneys-Holman, Glascock, Downing and Seebold and Holman & Stern ABSTRACT: A synthetic thermoplastic carrier bag which consists of a doubled over thermoplastic sheet forming both faces and bottom of the bag. The edges of the sheet are longitudinally welded together to form the bag container, and there exists a reinforced upper portion around the open periphery of the bag, which portion is at least two layers thick.

The leading edges of the upper peripheral portion is formed by a doubled over layer of material, and a grip aperture is formed in each face.

PATENTEUAUI; awn 3,596,824

sum 1 or 5 PATENIEnAuc awn 3,596,824

sum 3 UF 5 /N VE N TOR PATENTED AUG 3l97l 3,596,824

SHEET 5 OF 5 IN VEN TOR BYW M CARRIER mics This is a division of Application Ser. No. 739,559,1filed-June It is already known to provide carrier bags with reinforcements at their open upper. edger- These reinforcements in the 7 form of strips from cardboard are. either gluedon th is used:

as cardboard coated with a synthetic thermoplastic material sothat it maylikewise be affixedby welding-to a carrier bag-by the application ofpressureand heat: Normally; these reinforcements ofthe openupper edge areapplied after manufacture of the carrierbag. In the hitherto known carrier bags, also reinforcing inserts arelaffix'edto the .carrier bag by weldingorpasting. Besides these reinforcingwinserts from-cardboard'or.

stiff synthetic thermoplastic foil,.it has alsobeenproposedto': affix reinforcingstrips from synthetic thermoplastic foils by;

welding, these reinforcing strips' consisting of a synthetic thermoplastic material which is differentfrom that of the carrier bag. Special delivery spools for the reinforcing ystripspare therefore necessary which have to be' continuously exchanged on the production machine as soon astheyare exhausted. The

production machine necessitates besides the-structural design a considerable wasting of time.

' The instant invention flowed-from the problem of providing carrier bags which may be produced byverysimple means and require no reinforcing strips obtained from .a special-:foihf. Besides the reinforcement of the. upper edgeiof the carrier-bag: by reinforcing strips from a synthetic thermoplastic. foil, the

carrier bags shallfurther beprovided with reinforcing inserts so that they have a particularly high carrier strength."

The; present invention. flows. especially fromrthe problem of z producing carrier bags with reinforcements. of therupper. gripping edge which are provided with punched-out grip aper tures and which can'be mechanically producedzin a particularlysimplemanner. The main object. is to providieasynthetic '1 thermoplasticcarrier'bag of simple constructionhavinga rein 1 forced upper portion around the openperiphery containing grip apertures.

thermoplastic foil with a reinforcement at the upper edge ;of the-carrier bag and with punched out gripapertures passing i throughboth walls of thecarrier bag,-it is proposed-thatthe' s two edges of the foil band'are continuously folded towards the outside andthe edges of thefolds are affixedto the foil band bywelding; whereupon the grip apertures are punched out and finallytransverse closure welds with anx-interrnediate separating out are effected for separating the ifinishedcarrier.

bag from the foil band.

As particularly advantageous it is proposed that by continuous cutting at the edges of the foil band:strips'are-separated which subsequently arefolded in a U-shaped manner and are then-slidover the new edgeof the foil bandformedbysuch continuouscutting. The new edge is engaged'with the folded;

U-shaped foil strips up .to the folding fline of thefoiI-b'andr; whereupon .the 'grip: apertures are punched outuand finally transverse closurewelds withan intermediate-separating cut are effected for-separating the finished carrier'bag-from'the foil band.

There is additionally provided between the wallsof the. carrierbag and the reinforcing strips-at the opemupper-cdge'a reinforcing insert which isnotzaffx'ed to the foilsby welding. The material for these reinforcing. inserts may therefore be various stiff materials since their weldsbility. with the foil is not:

important.

in the drawings are illustrated, by way of;example, severai"- embodiments of the invention. The same-is however not'- limited to the illustrated embodiments so that further modifi cationsmay-be made within thescope ofthe invention.

FIGnI is a top.view-and;perspective' illustration'of the method. forproducing of carrier bag'swith r'einforcingstrips" and additional reinforcing insertsz. I v

FIG. 2,isa perspective illustration ofafoldingdevice;

FIGJS is aside view of a carrier bagwith reinforcing 'strips; 71-

In a method for producing such a carrier bag from synthetic 4 FIG. -4 is a side view of a carrier bag with reinforcingstrips' and reinforcing'in'serts;

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal section on the line V-V of FIG. 4; FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a carrier bag made from textile material;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a further modified carrier s:

FIG. is a longitudinal section on the lineXIV-XIV of FIG. I3;

FIG. 15 shows in a top view and'in essentially diagrammatic manner the production of carrier bags, starting from a hose of synthetic thermoplastic material;

FIG. 16 shows the hose in cross section on the line XVI-X- FIG. 17 shows the half-hose in'cross section on the line XVII-XVll'of FIG. 15;

FIG. l8 shows-the half-hose in cross section on the line XVIII-XVIII of FIG. '15;

FIG; 19 shows the carrier bag in cross section on the line XIX-'XlX'of FIG. -15;

FIG/20 'showsthecarrierbag in cross section on the line XX-XX of FIG. 15;

FIG. 2lshows the carrier bagin cross section on the line XXLXXI of FIG. 15;

- FIGIZZ'sho'ws the carrier bag in cross section on the line I XXII-XXII of FIG. 15; FIG. 23 is a top viewof the device for insertion of a reinforcing insert into the reinforcing strip separated from the edge of the halt hose; 1 7 FIG 24 isa vertical section on the line XXIV-XXIV of FIG. 23;

FlG.'25 shows on a larger scale and in perspective illustrationthe device for separating and supplying the reinforcing inse'rtsinto ,thespace between'the outer wall of the half-hose and the fold formed for the reinforcement thereof;

FIGF26-is in partial view and perspective illustration of another carrier-bag according to the invention; and

FIG. 27 is in partial view and perspective illustra'tion'of a modified carrier bag with an overlapping cover. FIG. 1 showsa flat band -10 made'from synthetic'ther rnopiastic material which is preferably printed. Within the edges 11; I2 and at a distance therefrom are continuously applied reinforcing insertslS, 13a which have a predetermined lengthand-a predetermined'width lhe length andwidth of these reinforcing inserts 13; 13a depend on the kind of carrier bag to be produced-According to FIG. '1, the reinforcing inserts 13; 13a are'applied -at a.distance from the above-mentioned edgesill, 12 of aflat band which corresponds at least to their double width, since in thisillustrated embodiment, thereare to be separated foil strips 14, at both'edges of V the "hand. For this purpose'there is provided two cutters l5,

15d which are fixed to a crossbar 16 extending transverse to the foil band '10 in such a manner that'their lateral'distance from one another maybe adjusted. The cuts for separating the foilstrips 14, I4a are carried out immediately adjacent to the outeredgesiof the reinforcing inserts'l3j13a. The foil strips 14,140 so formed are continuously folded along their median longitudinal axis in a U-shaped manner and slid over the edge of the foil band provided with the reinforcing inserts. The reupon-the edges of strips 14, 14a are connected with the upper and lower sideof foil band 10 by longitudinal welds 1-7 and I8.

The'foil band 10 moved in the direction of arrow 19 is then folded along its median longitudinal axis to obtain a half-hose.

In this 'half-hoseare punched out the grip ertures 20,

preferably below the reinforcement. The grip apertures may however pass through the reinforcing strips 14, 14a and the reinforcing inserts 13, 134. Finally are effected transverse closure welds 21, 22 with an intermediate separating cut for separating the finished carrier bag from the half-hose. These transverse closure welds 21, 22 with the intermediate separating cut are arranged in the gaps 23 between the reinforcing inserts 13, 130. As is shown in FIG. 4, the lateral edges 24, 25 of the reinforcing insert 13 are therefore spaced from the transverse closure welds 21, 22.

The reinforcing inserts 13, 13a may also be omitted since in many cases a sufficient reinforcement of the gripping edge is already obtained by the'U-shaped reinforcing strips 14, 14a. This is shown by the carrier bag of FIG. 3 in which the grip apertures 20 are punched out in the reinforcement.

FIG. 5 shows a longitudinal section through the carrier bag of FIG. 4 with the walls 26, 27 of the carrier bag, the reinforcing inserts 13, 13a as well as the U-shaped foil strips 14, 14a with welds 17, 18 slid over the upper edges of each wall and reinforcing insert.

FIG. 2 shows in the upper half the folding of strip 14 separated from foil band and in the lower half a particularly advantageous device for folding and applying of strip 14a. This device consists of two horizontally mounted guide rollers offset in height and of a vertical triangle arranged behind in the direction of moving foil 10 indicated by arrow 19. This triangle has to divert the horizontal strip 140 into the vertical position. The triangle is followed by a vertical guide roller and a folding channel open towards the foil band 10. The cross section of this folding channel varies continuously in such a manner that at the beginning the diverting surfaces are directed transverse to the plane of foil band 10, while in the adjacent part of the folding channel the direction of the folding surface varies continuously until it extends parallel to the foil band 10. After applying the U-shaped strips 14, 14a to the foil band 10, the edges of the strips are provided with continuous weld seams 17, 18 which connect the U-shaped strips with the foil band.

The reinforcing inserts 13, 13a may be applied to the lower side of a foil band 10. It is also possible to apply inserts 13 near the edge or directly at the edge on the upper side of a halfhose and to apply inserts 13a directly opposite on the lower side of the same half-hose.

FIG. 6 shows a carrier bag from textile material which is provided with an overlapping cover. The wall 28 of the carrier bag with the overlapping cover 29 has a reinforcing insert 13b of great width while the opposite wall 30 of the carrier bag has a reinforcing insert 130 of smaller'width. The reinforcing insert 13b is weakened about in the center in longitudinal direction, for example by a perforation 31. This weakening lies in the height of the upper edge of the front wall 30 of the carrier bag. The upper edge of the overlapping cover 29 is provided with two spaced vertical incisions 32, 33 which pass also through a part of the reinforcing insert 13b so that a hinged cover is obtained, which after closure of the carrier bag, is inserted in the grip aperture 20 of the front wall 30 and in the grip aperture 20a of the rear wall 28 whereupon the hinged cover is bent over. Thereby the bag is not only secured but the grip apertures are made more accessible because the hinged cover lies below the lower edges of the reinforcing inserts.

FIG. 8 shows a carrier bag with the reinforcing inserts 13 and 130 which are enclosed by a folded foil edge. The grip apertures 20, 20a are punched out below the reinforcing inserts in the same manner as in the carrier bag according to FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 shows a carrier bag from textile material in which the reinforcing inserts 13a, 13d of each wall have a great width. Both reinforcing inserts are weakened about in their median longitudinal line. The lateral edges 24, 25 and 24a, 25a of the reinforcing inserts 13c, 13d are arranged a greater distance from the transverse closure welds 21, 22 than heretofore, so that the edges 24, 25 may be moved away from the edges 24a,

serted between these edges. The grip apertures are punched out in the reinforcing strips and in the reinforcing inserts. There are provided two grip apertures, one below the other, since both upper edges of this carrier bag are bent over together in either direction on'the weakening line of the reinforcinl inserts. 7 I

FIG. 11 shows a perspective view of acarrier bag in which the grip apertures 20, 20a of each wall of the carrier bag are punched out in the several layers of synthetic thermoplastic foil below the reinforcing inserts but within the reinforcement of the edge. By punching out the grip apertures in this manner are obtained tongues 34, which during punching with a glowing iron, are connected with one another at their edges by welding. By insertion of the hand into the grip apertures for gripping of the carrier bag, these tongues are forced against the lower edge of the reinforcing inserts 13, 13a.

FIG. 13 shows that the reinforcing inserts 13, 13a are bordered by additional welds 35, 35a of the foil layers'which form the reinforcement of the gripping edge. The grip apertures are punched out between these additional welds 35, 35a'and the welds 17, 17a.

According to FIG. 15, the carrier bags are produced starting from a hose 10 of synthetic thermoplastic foil. The hose enables the use of a very narrow producing machine, but on a wider machine may be produced simultaneously and side by 36 by means of a cutter 37. In a hose moving in the direction indicated by arrow 19, or in the half-hose, is effected by means of a cutter 15 passing through both walls of the hose the separation of an upper reinforcing strip 14 and of a lower reinforcing strip 140. As is shown especially in FIG. 19, both reinforcing strips 14, 14a obtained in such a manner are then displaced in lateral direction and inserted into the half-hose, the lateral displacement corresponding to half of their width. These strips are then continuously or intermittently connected by means of longitudinal welds 17, 17a with the walls 26, 27 of the half-hose. Effecting of these longitudinal welds 17, 17a may however also be deferred until a'later longitudinal welding of the reinforcing strips 14, 14a to the outer hose walls 26, 27 as described in the following. In the next working step, the reinforcing strips 14, 14a are folded for 180 towards the halfhose as shown in FIG. 20. If the carrier bags are to be used without reinforcing or carrier inserts as described in the following, the edges 38, 39 of the strips are now affixed by welding in the longitudinal direction to the outer surfaces of the hose walls which will later form the walls of the carrier bags.

If however in addition to the U-shaped reinforcing strips 14, formed in the above-mentioned manner reinforcing inserts are desired to obtain a greater stiffness of the upper edge of the carrier bag so that by means of punched out grip apertures 20 passing through both hose walls, or the later walls of the carrier bag, the hand may be inserted below these reinforcing inserts, reinforcing inserts 13, 13a are slid between the outer surface of hose walls 26, 27 and the folds of reinforcing strips 14, 140 as is shown particularly in FIG. 21. These reinforcing or carrier inserts are obtained by cutting off from webs 40 and'41 which are supplied in the direction indicated by arrow 42, which is transverse to the direction 19 of movement of the half-hose. The width of these reinforcing or carrier inserts is so dimensioned that they allow the above-mentioned longitudinal welds 38, 39. Their length is less than the width of the finished carrier bags so that between the serially arranged reinforcing inserts is provided a gap 23 for effecting the transverse closure welds 21, 22 with the intermediate separating cut.

When reinforcing inserts'l3, 13a are used, the above-mentioned grip apertures 20 are preferably punched out below the same. The grip apertures may however also pass through the reinforcements of the upper edge of the carrier bags formed by the reinforcing strips 14, 14a if they additionally also contain the reinforcing inserts 13, 13a.

overlapping one another. Metal sheet 43'is provided with a These diverting edges are preferably arranged under an angle of 45 to the direction 19 of movement of the half-hose or of the reinforcing strips 14, 14a separated therefrom. The two metal sheets 43 and 44 are relatively displaceable in their planes in the directions indicated by double arrow 47. This is effected in such a manner that metal sheet 43 is rigidly connected with a support 48 while metal sheet 44 is provided with slotted holes 49, 50 which allow its displacement.

By the displacement of metal sheet 44 relative to metal sheet 43, the distance between the diverting edges 45, 46 is varied although they are always parallel to one another. This variation of the distance is an index for lateral offsetting of strip 14 in the direction to the interior of the half-hose. v

For the purpose of simplified illustration, FIGS. 23 and 24 show a support 48 which is provided only with two metal sheets 43, 44 for lateral displacement of strip 14. The same support 48 may be provided with two further metal sheets formed in the same manner for the further separated reinforcing strip 14a which is likewise displaced in the direction to the interior of the half-hose as is shown in FIG. 19.

FIG. 25 shows the production of a carrier bag with reinforcing or carrier inserts which are slid in the same manner as according to FIG. 21 into the space between the outer hose wall 26 and the fold, but with the difference that the fold is not obtained by a strip 14 or 140 separated from the half-hose and then fixed again to the same, but by simple folding of the edge. lf reinforcing or carrier inserts 13, 130 are provided, the U- A diverting edge 45 and metal sheet 44 with a diverting edge 46.

shaped reinforcement of the edge as illustrated in FIGS. to

22 is not absolutely necessary.

FIG. shows the web 51, for example stiff cardboard, with a feed roll 52. The web 51 rests upon a support 53 provided with a counter edge 54 so that the cutter 55 may cut off the reinforcing or carrier insert 13 from the web 51. The support 53 extends into the range of the fold 56 of the reinforcement of the edge. There is further provided a feeding comb 57. The reinforcing and carrier inserts l3 are advanced between support 53 and comb 57 in such a manner that the advancing force is supplied by the feed roll 52 and that the closely abutting inserts 13 are intermittently advanced the width thereof. The support 53 and the comb 57 are stationary. The hose with its fold 56 moves intermittently in the direction indicated by arrow 19. For the purpose of simplified illustration, I

the supply of carrier inserts 13 is shown only on the upper side. It is provided in the same manner also on the lower side of the half-hose.

FIG. 26 shows part of a carrier bag produced by means of the device according to FIG. 25.

FIG. 27 shows a carrier bag modified over H68. 25 and 26 in such a manner that the same has only one carrier insert 13 and is formed as a carrier bag with an overlapping cover 58. The edge of the overlapping cover is provided with a simple fold 59 in which is punched out the grip aperture 20b. if the carrier bag is closed, this grip aperture 20b is aligned with the two other grip apertures 20 and 20a which are punched out in the two walls 26, 27 below the reinforcing insert 13. Since the overlapping cover 58 engages over the carrier insert 13 when the carrier bag is closed, only one carrier insert is necessary so that the carrier bag may be produced from a smaller number of parts.

We claim:

1. A synthetic thermoplastic carrier bag comprising a doubled over thermoplastic sheet forming both faces and the botmaterial, and the edges of said doubled over separate layer of material being welded to said thermoplastic sheet; and a grip aperture in each face.

2. A carrier bag as claimed in claim 1 further comprising at least one reinforcing insert covered by said doubled over layer of material, said insert being of a length slightly less than the width of said two faces so as not to interfere with said longitudinal weld scams.

3. A carrier bag as claimed in claim 1 further comprising two reinforcing inserts, one above the other, in each face covered by said doubled over layer of material, there being a grip aperture punched out in each insert, and the length of each of said inserts is appreciably less than the width of said two faces to allow the areas of the two faces adjacent said reinforcing inserts to be moved apart from each other.

4. A carrier bag as claimed in claim 3 wherein said two reinforcing inserts in each face is one piece having a weakened line along the median longitudinal axis thereof, and the top insert in each face is capable of being doubled over the bottom insert so that the two grip apertures in each face are overlapping.

5. Acarrier bag as claimed in claim 2 wherein one face of the carrier bag has a greater height than the other face and. the carrier bag face of greater height is provided with a reinforcing insert, the width of which is approximately twice the width of the reinforcing insert in the face of smaller height, the greater width reinforcing insert has a weakening along the median longitudinal axis so that the portion extending above the median longitudinal axis may be bent over the leasing edge of the face of smaller height.

6. A carrier bag as claimed in claim 5 wherein the leading edge of the carrier bag face of greater height is provided in the center with two spaced vertical incisions beginning at the leading edge and passing through part of the reinforcing insert to form a tab so that it can engage with the grip aperture in the other face.

7. A carrier bag as claimed in claim 2 wherein the grip aperture in each face is formed below the reinforced upper portion and reinforcing insertsof each face. 7

8. A carrier bag as claimed in claim 2 wherein the reinforcing inserts are loosely arranged in the pockets formed by the doubled over layer of material.

9. A carrier bag as claimed in claim 2 wherein the grip apertures are formed within the area in the reinforced upper portion between the reinforcing inserts and the welded edges of the doubled over separate layer of material.

10. A carrier bag as claimed in claim 9 further comprising an additional weld immediately below the reinforcing inserts, said additional weld extending the entire width of each face.

1 l. A carrier bag as claimed in claim 2 wherein one face has a reinforced upper portion of greater height than the other face, said one face has a reinforcing insert covered by said doubled over layer of material, and while the leading edge of said other face is higher than the leading edge of said one face the reinforced upper portion has no reinforcing insert, the grip aperture in said one face is below the reinforcing upper portion and the grip aperture in said other face is within the reinforcing upper portion. 

1. A synthetic thermoplastic carrier bag comprising a doubled over thermoplastic sheet forming both faces and the bottom of the bag; longitudinal weld seams connecting the edges of the two faces; a reinforced upper portion around the open periphery of the top of the bag of at least three sheet layers thick, the leading edge of said periphery formed by a doubled over layer of material separate from said thermoplastic sheet, the edges of said thermoplastic sheet at the open periphery being contained within the doubled over separate layer of material, and the edges of said doubled over separate layer of material being welded to said thermoplastic sheet; and a grip aperture in each face.
 2. A carrier bag as claimed in claim 1 further comprising at least one reinforcing insert covered by said doubled over layer of material, said insert being of a length slightly less than the width of said two faces so as not to interfere with said longitudinal weld seams.
 3. A carrier bag as claimed in claim 1 further comprising two reinforcing inserts, one above the other, in each face covered by said doubled over layer of material, there being a grip aperture punched out in each insert, and the length of each of said inserts is appreciably less than the width of said two faces to allow the areas of the two faces adjacent said reinforcing inserts to be moved apart from each other.
 4. A carrier bag as claimed in claim 3 wherein said two reinforcing inserts in each face is one piece having a weakened line along the median longitudinal axis thereof, and the top insert in each face is capable of being doubled over the bottom insert so that the two grip apertures in each face are overlapping.
 5. A carrier bag as claimed in claim 2 wherein one face of the carrier bag has a greater height than the other face and the carrier bag face of greater height is provided with a reinforcing insert, the width of which is approximately twice the width of the reinforcing insert in the face of smaller height, the greater width reinforcing insert has a weakening along the median longitudinal axis so that the portion extending above the median longitudinal axis may be bent over the leasing edge of the face of smaller height.
 6. A carrier bag as claimed in claim 5 wherein the leading edge of the carrier bag face of greater height is provided in the cenTer with two spaced vertical incisions beginning at the leading edge and passing through part of the reinforcing insert to form a tab so that it can engage with the grip aperture in the other face.
 7. A carrier bag as claimed in claim 2 wherein the grip aperture in each face is formed below the reinforced upper portion and reinforcing inserts of each face.
 8. A carrier bag as claimed in claim 2 wherein the reinforcing inserts are loosely arranged in the pockets formed by the doubled over layer of material.
 9. A carrier bag as claimed in claim 2 wherein the grip apertures are formed within the area in the reinforced upper portion between the reinforcing inserts and the welded edges of the doubled over separate layer of material.
 10. A carrier bag as claimed in claim 9 further comprising an additional weld immediately below the reinforcing inserts, said additional weld extending the entire width of each face.
 11. A carrier bag as claimed in claim 2 wherein one face has a reinforced upper portion of greater height than the other face, said one face has a reinforcing insert covered by said doubled over layer of material, and while the leading edge of said other face is higher than the leading edge of said one face the reinforced upper portion has no reinforcing insert, the grip aperture in said one face is below the reinforcing upper portion and the grip aperture in said other face is within the reinforcing upper portion. 